This is my old blog. You can find my current blog at stephanieperkins.com.

11.30.2009

Oh, San Francisco! Don't ever change.

Let's talk about how much I love this city.

I've been scratching my head over this post for the last several days, because there's not much I can tell you about my trip to San Francisco. Despite the fact that I publicly announced it (oops), it was a SECRET trip. Filled with EXCITING THINGS that I CANNOT TALK ABOUT.

Just kidding.

It really, truly, honestly was a secret trip, but unless you count hanging out in hallways like this EXCITING:

Doo dee doo. Don't mind me. I'm just taking notes about this DOOR. Look! It has a handle!

Then you are not missing much.

I'm not even going to tell you about the time I got caught taking pictures in a public restroom. (I HAD A REASON.) Or tell you about the look on the woman's face who caught me. (I HAD A REASON, LADY!!)

The trip coincided with my ten year day-we-met anniversary with Jarrod. And since we still consider San Francisco our city— we met online while living in different cities, but we moved together to SF — it turned out to be a perfect celebration.

A perfect celebration of taking secret pictures of public restrooms.

Well. We also did a few non-secret things. For instance, WE ATE.

We couldn't afford the Fog City Diner when we lived there (Ramen Cup Noodles were more our budget), so it was wonderful to finally taste their famous gourmet diner food. Like this lemon meringue pie:

Hello, meringue! WE LOVE YOU.

And then there was this . . .

CONE O' MEAT.

My husband is seriously (seriously) addicted to the Food and Travel Networks, and Boccalone has been featured on multiple programs, so it was a must-visit. We especially loved their sign:

And to answer my family and longtime friends' question, NO. I did not partake in the tasty salted pig parts. (True story: I gave up pork when my mother read me Charlotte's Web as a little girl. I don't care how delicious he is, HOW COULD ANYONE EAT WILBUR??)

This dastardly machine combines two of my husband's great loves, the King and pinball. Of course he couldn't resist.

And I always love the window displays in Chinatown:

Like these pretty shoes.

And these cool plastic insects.

And this, um, random crap.

And this . . . WHAT THE HECK IS THIS??

Seriously, you guys. If anyone can tell me what's up with that, I'll mail you a present.

Here's another reason I love Chinatown. While walking down the street, we found this Large Frog:

And then, only half a block later . . .

OMG. ANOTHER LARGE FROG.

Here are two more awesome non-secret things found in (non-Chinatown) window displays:

Heh.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love San Francisco?

But it was not all SECRETS and FOOD and WINDOW DISPLAYS. I was fortunate enough to spend an afternoon with fellow 2010 YA debut authors and Bay Area residents, Heidi R. Kling (author of Sea, coming out next June) and Daisy Whitney (The Mockingbirds, next fall).

Not the best quality picture, but it totally doesn't matter when we (L to R: Heidi, Steph, Daisy) look this cute!

I've said it before, but it's always worth saying again. Being a writer is a strange, lonely business. Any time I'm given the chance to spend time with other writers — writers who understand exactly what I'm going through — is the equivalent of a child's birthday party at an American Girl store.

IT'S THE BEST. THING. EV-ERRRRR!!

We met up at Bittersweet, a chocolate café. Okay. Maybe a*little* food was involved. But LOOK:

Spicy (pepper, cinnamon, & rose) drinking chocolate.

We talked non-stop for two hours, and it felt like two minutes, and I cannot wait to do it again. Daisy and Heidi were both amazingly kind, hilarious, and FUN. I'm excited to read their books next year!

[2010 . . . so close, but so far away.]

It's time to wrap up, so I'll leave you with one final picture. There are hundreds of reasons to love this city. But this? This is one of the best:

Such a cool trip....secret, though? Hmm....I have an agent in the field up there, I'll have to see what I can dig up. You can't go gallivanting around in other states, claiming you're there in secret and not have to explain yourself, little missy.

I'm not looking for a present because I really don't know what the artist was thinking, but I used to freak people out by doing that stretch at track meets. The artist elongated the leg, but it's the same stretch. I don't know if there was another leg on the doll, but, if there was, it would have been tucked under her with the knee sticking out front and left. There's trim in the way.

Your hair looks great! And those shoes were amazing! Did you buy a pair? I'm glad you had such a fun trip!

I think the pic is of a Nagin (a female Naga)The Naga is a race of semi-divine snake people and the nagin are said to be strikingly beautiful, but with the power to transform into a cobra, or to a half-snake, half-human figure. I believe that in the Chinese cosmology it is the Naga which creates mankind.If it's not a Naga/Nagin, then i have no idea what it is.

Mariah — Thank you! I picked it up that day and couldn't resist putting it on. And I'll definitely reveal the secret (which, if you have a guess, it's probably correct) someday :)

jckandy — HA!!!

Suzanne — Thanks! You ALWAYS look cute. You have such a wonderful smile.

Shelley — An agent in the field, eh? WELL. Plz tell your agent to MIND HER OWN BEESWAX. Or, maybe, if you wait a while, I'll just tell you ;)

Sharon — That's what I thought at first too, but she has a snake body! No fishy double tail at the end.

Myrna — HA!! I love thinking that she might be stretching for a track meet. Too bad she only has ONE LEG. And thank you! I didn't buy a pair of shoes, and I'm kinda kicking myself for it now. Guess that means I'll have to go back!

Lexi — I'm laughing out loud at the idea of a worm-maid with an incense holder. And OF COURSE I hijacked the truck. Those were the secret pictures I couldn't show you! And thank you for the hair compliment. (Is there any better compliment than a hair compliment? I think not.)

Falen — Oh. My. Gosh. I THINK YOU YOU JUST WON A PRESENT!!! I'll give this a few more days, in case anyone comes up with something better, but that sounds right!

Tere — You're welcome! (And thank you!) I sincerely hope you and your husband get to visit sometime. There are so many cool things to explore. And eat.

J — Now I MUST know.

Corinne — I'm sure if you have a guess, it's the right one! I'll definitely let you know someday, though by the time I do, you'll have forgotten all about it ;) And it makes me so, so happy to hear you like On Writing. I could do with a re-read!

One thing I miss about living in California is that the bay was just a couple hours from our house. My husband actually proposed to me on a trip there. I have a favorite picture of us sitting on a wall in Sausalito overlooking the water. We used to love to just go browse the expensive stores and walk through the streets. I'm glad you had a nice trip!

love the secret trip, love the photos . . . and happy anniversary :) looks like you two had an amazing time!!! since no one else did, i’ll have to comment on the door handle photo. you look like a detective lurking in the hallway (except your jacket and scarf are way cooler than a detective would wear). i’m lovin’ the harvey milk shot, too!

Hi, there! I'm Steph, and I wrote ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR, and ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. I also edited the romantic holiday anthology MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME and the upcoming SUMMER DAYS & SUMMER NIGHTS.